Counter holder device that can be folded for opening and closing

ABSTRACT

A foldable counter-holder element is described which, when unfolded, helps to facilitate the arrangement and handling of counters during play, since there are no divisions for accommodating each of the counters in the various cavities formed, providing an aid for the player, leaving the latter&#39;s hands free and the counters in a vertical position and with a slight tilt in order to make the counters easier to see, said device having a space for displaying advertising on the upper cover, which is on view at all times, irrespective of whether the device is folded or unfolded, said device providing an attractive element for advertising during play, and furthermore the counter-holder device is easy to carry since, when folded, it keeps the counters in a small space and prevents them emerging from the device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National phase application of International application PCT/MX2012/000062 claiming priority to application MX/u/2011/000350 filed on Aug. 11, 2011 in Mexico, both applications being hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for supporting game counters which helps to prevent same from falling in addition to separating them in different cavity for easy, instant handling; the device comprises space for displaying advertising.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some devices for accommodating counters and for supporting same are known which are fixed as described by the patent that describes an “L”-shaped element of variable length having on its internal face an inclination for supporting the counters; there are some other moveable or stackable ones such as that described in patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,156, which describes a case for storing dominos comprised of four parts that can be disassembled having sliding male and female connectors for assembly and disassembly thereof.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The innovation being presented here offers an advantage over the known devices because it has three pieces that are joined with pivoting elements in order to fold and unfold the case for easy transport, apart from which it has separators that form cubicles in order to keep the counters separate, improving handling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main base showing the ramp with elevation.

FIG. 2 is a view of the upper lid where the holes and pins for joining with the elements are visible.

FIG. 3 is a frontal perspective view of the counter holding element, or rack, in which the divisions are visible.

FIG. 4 is a view of the lower part of the device in which the supports are visible.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the unfolded device.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the device in which the divisions are visible.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the device in folded form.

FIG. 8 is a view of the device as it would look when it is unfolded in a game of dominos.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The counter holding device is comprised of at least three main parts, preferably in the form of concentric rectangles.

The first part is the main base (1) having at one end of the side walls perforations for inserting a pin, thus connecting it to the next element, and having at the other end on the interior part of the side walls a prominence for preventing the device from opening when it is folded.

The front wall (3) of the main base (1) acts as a stop for the counter holding element (2) and has on the floor of the base a ramp (4) with elevation to help the stop hold the counter holding element or rack (2), in addition to which it has on the lower part of the base non-skid elements (10) for supporting the device and keeping it in place while playing.

The second part is an upper lid (6) that is aligned on the interior part of the main base (1) and has two side walls and one front wall, and on the rear ends of the side walls it has a pin or pivot assembly for connecting it to the main base (1) in order to enable pivoting movement for the folding and unfolding of the device.

At the other end of the side walls of the upper lid (6), it has holes for connecting it by means of a pin located at one end of the side walls of the counter holding element (2), and on the exterior part of the side walls of the upper lid it has a prominence that is aligned such that, between the two closing elements, the device is kept closed.

The counter holding element or rack (2) has smaller dimensions than the two abovementioned parts and is hidden between the main base (1) and the upper lid (6) when it is folded.

The counter holding element (2) has on its front face (7) a plurality of divisions (5) perpendicular to the front face (7) of the counter holding element or rack (2), which helps to separate the counters for easy handling thereof during play, each one of the divisions (5) having a series of flaps (8) for preventing the counters from going out of the cavities that are formed with said divisions (5).

To unfold the counter holding device, the upper lid (6) is lifted, which pulls the counter holding element or rack (2), said element running at one of its ends through the ramp (4) of the main base (1) to aid in lifting the counter holding element (2), which is stopped by the front flap (3) of the main base forming a kind of triangle and leaving the upper lid (6) as a rear wall and the counter holding element (2) as a front face in a vertical manner with a slight inclination in order to permit that, upon placement of the counters in the divisions, they rest on the front face (7) of the counter holding element (2). The upper lid (6) has a flat space (9) for displaying advertising when the device is folded or unfolded. 

Having sufficiently described my invention, I regard that contained in the following clauses to be novel and, consequently, claim it as my exclusive property:
 1. Counter holding device characterized in that it comprises at least three parts, preferably rectangular-shaped and concentric, connected by means of pivoting elements to enable the folding and unfolding of the parts which, when unfolded, form a support for counters perpendicular to the main base, with a slight inclination to enable the counters to rest on the counter holding element, which has a plurality of divisions to form cavities where the counters are placed to keep them separated from one another, facilitating the handling thereof during play, said counter holding element also having on its upper lid a space to display advertisement both when the device is folded and unfolded.
 2. Foldable counter holding device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the base has at least one ramp with elevation to aid the counter holding element to run up to the stop and stop it upon being folded.
 3. Foldable counter holding device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the counter holding element has a plurality of divisions to form cavities and that each one of the divisions has a flap to prevent the counters from going out of said cavities.
 4. Foldable counter holding device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that it has closing elements which are prominences situated on the walls of the main base and the upper lid to prevent the device from opening and the counters from spilling.
 5. Foldable counter holding device as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the lower part of the main base has a plurality of non-skid elements helping to support the device and keep it in place. 